Horse racing-I'll Have Another owner never looks back

May 19, 2012|Reuters

By Steve Ginsburg

BALTIMORE, May 19 (Reuters) - I'll Have Another owner J.Paul Reddam never second-guessed his decision to put his prizedcolt, I'll Have Another, in the hands of a trainer and jockeywith questionable credentials.

Trainer Doug O'Neill had never won a Triple Crown race andMario Gutierrez had never even run in one.

But the move proved to be a perfect pairing and the horse ison the precipice of history, hoping to become just the 12thwinner of U.S. thoroughbred racing's coveted Triple Crown.

"There may have been doubts about the trainer and thejockey, but the doubts were not expressed by me," he said afterI'll Have Another's stirring Preakness Stakes victory.

"I thought that Doug did a fantastic job preparing thehorse, and I don't know how he managed to have such an activesocial life at the same time. Every time I turned on the TV orthe radio, there he was. He just really enjoyed the whole ride."

Reddam rolled the dice with Gutierrez, a 25-year-old Mexicanwho was a leading rider at tiny Hastings Racecourse inVancouver, British Columbia, but had never ridden in theinternational spotlight.

The affable owner said the soft-spoken Gutierrez performedlike a champion on Saturday.

"I really commend him because to go from, I don't want tosay an obscure track, but one that's not on the radar every day,and then to be thrust into the limelight and be cool as he was,"Reddam said.

"Before the race today, they were joking before getting aleg up. And I thought, 'He's going to be okay.' These guysreally, they deserve the win. Absolutely."

Gutierrez rode I'll Have Another to a come-from-behindvictory in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago and performed hismagic again on Saturday before a record crowd of 121,000 atPimlico Race Course.

I'll Have Another caught favourite Bodemeister just beforethe wire to win by a neck and keep the chestnut son of FlowerAlley unbeaten in four races this year.

Next up is the one and a half mile (2400 metres) BelmontStakes in New York on June 9 where the crowd will be large andintense with a Triple Crown on the line.

Gutierrez said he has ridden in long races before but hasnever been to the Big Apple.

"It's not the first time I'm going to race a long race," hesaid. "In Vancouver we have marathon races where they're justrunning around the track like five times. It's pretty long.

"But it's my first time in New York and my first time on therace track."

The fun-loving O'Neill, who threw out the ceremonial pitchat a Baltimore Orioles game, said he cannot wait to get to NewYork.

"The great thing about having a horse like I'll HaveAnother, it opens up a lot of doors," he said. "You get to meetso many people who love horses and they love horse racing.

"Along the way if we can share a little bit of the backstagefun of it, and the excitement, and the beauty of it, I wouldlike to do that.

"I would love the opportunity to do cool things in New Yorkif we can."